245 - Nicole Franq

Nicole Franq has been mentoring  designers since 2017 when I made the leap from hedge funds to designing hedge fund software. She has helped others land their dream jobs at companies like Chewy, Travelers Insurance, Amazon and more.

She creates content on YouTube and also just started a community for UX Designers with the goal of getting more connected and filling the void of lack of guidance in the UX industry.

Twitter → twitter.com/nicolefranq

Items:

• LG 34WN780-B UltraWide Monitor 34" monitor‍
• Furmax Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk‍
• Leather desk protector‍
• Seenda RGB monitor light bar‍
• Treadmill (not pictured but I love it)
• Creative Pebble V3 speakers‍
• Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic mouse‍
• Macbook pro in space gray I believe with an M1 processor & Macbook pro in gray with a M1 pro processor
• Vertical laptop stand‍
• Arteck wireless keyboard‍
• Mimoglad office chair‍
• Space heater (not pictured but essential in New England)
• FIFINE USB Mic‍
• Logitech C920x HD Pro webcam
• Canon EOS M50 Mark II camera for filming‍
• NEARUS candle warmer  during the winter I opt for something pine scented
• Wayfair pine dresser for storage
• Wayfair rose velvet full size pullout couch
• Rope lighting‍
• Echo dot

Software:

• Figma/FigJam for product design

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

My favorite item in my workspace is my stuffed animal cat by my keyboard. It was a gag gift from my youngest sister and one of the first cat items I got gifted after I adopted my cat Maple. Just sentimental and something fun.

How do you spark creativity?

Creativity is one of those things that ebbs and flows for me. Some days I'm super inspired, others I just need to lay on the couch and watch some true crime junk. One way I spark creativity is by watching youtubers in their daily vlogs. I usually follow those who are creative but in a different field than UX like artists, etc. Another way is looking up designs or articles on dribbble and challenging myself to create something using that as inspiration. Another big way is for daily walks outside and just getting away from the computer screen.

How do you manage work-life balance?

I don't believe there is a work-life balance, just life. The pandemic blended that together even more. Within life there's stories or identities that we carry and those don't stop and start at different times of the day. I'm a UX Designer, a content creator, an artist, a sister, etc. I try to block my time but I'm not always the best at following set times. My mornings are usually reserved for focused work, afternoons are for rest, evenings are for meetings and late night is whatever I feel like doing.

What do you think is the main benefit of remote work?

Freedom and rest. I worked in an office for many years as an intern, when I worked in finance and finally as a designer. It was horrible, especially as someone who's an introvert and just wants a quiet room and some creature comforts. It was so mentally taxing to go into an office each day. I never ever have lived close to my workplace either. The hour plus long commutes drained me to the point of not wanting to work and just go home. Now I get that space I need to create and think without worrying about commutes, what I look like that day, and who's peeping at my screen when I just need to look at photos of puppies for some mindless time.